About My Site:

Join me, a stay-at-home mom and Navy wife, as I share my endeavors in family life and mindful mothering, simple real-food cooking, simplified homemaking, and more.

About Me:

I’m Emily.

I’m a gal from South Carolina who moves all over the country with my high school sweetheart, making our houses into homes (eight so far).

Life is good.

I have an awesome Naval aviator husband, three incredible children, a few fantastic friends who mean the world to me, and the priorities that place those people and relationships above the things that fill my home.

Because when we value people and use things, instead of the other way around, life is simply wonderful.

My Story

I’ve always wanted to be a mother. For as long as I can remember.

Through setting up eight different homes (so far) and decluttering and organizing my way through seven different military moves (again, so far), you’d think I would have learned a thing or two about homemaking.

So Why the Joyful Abode Blog?

I love cheering on my friends as they strive to improve themselves and their homes.

As I continue to tweak my homemaking, habits, and mindset, I want to share what I learn with you (and be encouraged by you too).

Sure, I’ve pinned just as many31 Surprising Organizing Solutions (#18 Will Blow Your Mind) articles and lists of 101 Crazy Cleaning Tips You Won’t Believe as the next girl.

But I’ve figured out that looking inward is the best way to begin to take action.

I know that a one-size-fits-all solution isn’t the answer. All of our situations are different. All of our families have unique needs and dreams. We all have different skills and limitations.

No matter where we are in creating our joyful abodes, we can all use some extra encouragement or a little nudge sometimes.

So I’m here.

To offer you support, encouragement, and inspiration.

To share my stories and the lessons they’ve taught me.

To ask you questions that will make you think about what you really want out of life.

To help you figure out the baby steps and the bold actions that will get you closer to your dreams each day.

Disclosure Statement:

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. Some links to commerce sites are affiliate links.

The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third party ad network. Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements.

The owner of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, she always gives her honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blogger’s own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

I was scanning through your FABULOUS blog and the city “Milton” caught my eye. Being the OCD laden person that I am, I had to finish going through ALL of your posts before I could go to the contact page! HA! I was happy to see that the Milton that caught my eye was the same town just a few hours away from our home here in the Fort Walton Beach area.

Isn’t the military life something!? My husband is now retired and we have only been married the last few years of his military career. I missed out on all of the traveling, moving and stuff, but we have plenty of friends that are going through the same things you are. Of course, that means we’ve been privy to HELPING all of those friends pack and unpack!

Anywho, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your recipes and food ideas! All of the flavorful ingredients inspire me to eat healthier….or at least prettier!

Don’t remember how I got here but am I ever glad I did! I would love to say more but I’m currently busy drooling over your wonderful recipes (and adorning pics).
It’s a fantabulous blog you have created, thanks so much for sharing. I will definitely be back many times, for now it’s off into the kitchen 🙂

Hi, I came across your blog while trying to figure out how to store my chocolate dipped pretzels. I was trying to think of something new to do for a christmas work party and had a recipe for a truffle like thing, and had left over chocolate so I thought pretzels might be tasty. Thanks for the info- they are in an air tight container at room temp. You are hilarious by the way. I am going to continue reading your blog. Thanks.

So random… I came upon your site looking for a good recipe for boiling corn on the cob. And then, I find out we were born only days apart (I just turned 24 on May 24th) AND we got married on the same day. Twilight Zone for sure 🙂

Hi,
I really like your blog, and I have enjoyed reading about your endeavors. I live in Milton, FL and was trying to find anything related to sewing here. I came upon your blog. My husband and two children have lived here for two years and we really like it. I sew for both of my little ones. Pictures are at http://sewpink.wordpress.com. Thanks for writing about your craftshows. I really enjoyed learning about them. I have not been to the riverwalk yet. Shame on me. Well, I wish you and your husband the very best.
Jeannine

You said:
Hi Emily! I did not know you were a military wife too. My husband has been in the Army x 18+ yrs and our son has been in the Army for about 3 yrs. You & your husband look very happy & wonderful!

I just started a blog & my first “series” I’m blogging about is things that vintage aprons are made of. Was looking through your pictures to see if you had any vintage aprons made from anything unusual. Let me know if you do & I’ll include it- giving you all the credit , of course!

I am also putting Joyful Abode in my links section on the blog. Please add me to yours if you’d like.